How to Check if your Username is Available?

Getting the perfect and favorite username is always challenging for a business or even a social media profile. Big business firms always hunt for a consistent and stable username throughout various sites they are enrolled. A username check has become mandatory for businesses to proceed with profiles, these days.

Moreover, not just businesses, but a typical social person would always want to have the same username for multiple sites that they are using. Practically, people need to be the early birds to get the privilege of their desired username. Millions of people and businesses are disappointed because they enrolled on social websites and used username checks pretty late.  

The first question that rises in every individual thoughts when they fill in the sign-up form for a website is, “is this username taken?” Acquiring the same username as enrolled in 10 different websites is not impossible.

Now, with several websites offering username checker services, there is always a possibility that people will get their desired username. Before we discuss the various websites, it is crucial to understand the significance of usernames for businesses. Maybe when a fresher wants to start a business, this would be a great helping source. 

Significance of usernames in business

Usernames are crucial for businesses simply because they are public. Unlike passwords, there is no need for a hidden factor protocol. Having a standard username is easy for advertising and other individuals to locate and follow the business online.

Another critical factor in understanding is that when a business runs the same username for their work profile, social media accounts, and other online forums, people can easily navigate the brand on a google search. A single search can grant the freedom for people to access all the platforms associated with the business. So, let us analyze the significant benefits by understanding the three major points:

  1. Can significantly impact SEO: The first and foremost benefit of having the same username and domain name is that it allows customers to find and connect with the business using search engines. 
  2. The “memorable” factor allows people to recognize and remember the brand or the business efficiently. 
  3. Reinforcing the brand name: The same username and the domain name can strengthen the brand name and its essence. 

The Dont’s to consider when creating a unique username

  • Do not use underscores.
  • Avoid consecutive repeating letters and symbols. 
  • Always make sure the name is crisp and eye-catchy. Avoid longer names at all costs.  

However, there are a set of drawbacks to having the same username on various websites. Let us now dive into the effects on businesses due to usernames. 

How do usernames affect business?

Usernames affect business in various ways. To be precise, the problem arises when having the same username for all the enrolled platforms. It becomes a simple task for hackers to acquire a lot of personal information and details.

This information might reveal a lot about your life to someone. Where you reside, what car you drive, who you hang out with, where you work, and where your children attend school. This is compassionate information that might make you a target of various assaults, including spear phishing.

Another severe risk is that the data might get exposed to a data leak. If one of the accounts is hacked or compromised, all of the other accounts are in danger — unless it is selected a thoroughly unique, random username for each one and a username check.

As a result, consider usernames to be the second line of protection. Just think it like you use the same password, but for various usernames. Your other accounts will be protected since a cybercriminal will be unable to launch a credential stuffing attack using your exposed credentials.

Ultimately, maintaining a high level of security and privacy can be achieved through the uniqueness in the username and the password. You might believe they’ll be too difficult to recall right away. You could also opt for password managers, as they significantly run username checks and automatically fill them out. Make it as complex and as lengthy as you like. 

If you become prey to cyberattacks by any chance, it can lead to username squatting. Before enrolling in various websites, understanding security is the first mandatory step. All brands and social media of a business can face squatting issues if not understood prior. 

Name squatting: A nightmare to every business profile online

Brand and business owners should be advised that various social media platforms respond differently to complaints of duplication and username squatting. Because there are no universal rules for registering usernames, social media providers can exert varying degrees of control or engagement in registering usernames. 

Before enrolling in a website, businesses should understand the specific internet law and intellectual property law. Various trusted online attorneys could determine if the company’s name is prone to squatting, trademark infringing, or impersonation. By understanding squatting and trademark infringing regulations, businesses can retrieve their usernames and other valuable information. 

Now that we have covered the crucial topics such as the benefits and effects of the username in businesses let us dive into choosing a unique username by various username checkers

Choosing a strong and unique username

You wouldn’t have any trouble aligning your social media handles to your business or domain names in a rational world. When the right opportunity emerges, don’t hesitate to grab it as fast as you can. Then be thankful that it was so simple. It is not a repetitive scenario that we face in our day-to-day life. Someone else may have already stolen the username you desire. You have two options in the situation (i.e.,) either choosing another closely related name or requesting the user to let you have it! 

Some of the primary factors associated with choosing a perfect and unique username are:

  • Always make the username easy to remember
  • Make it a short, precisely two-syllable name
  • Choose a username with minimal online competition
  • If not a username directly mentioning the brand or business, opt for usernames related to them. 

If you desire an already taken social media username, always make sure to go through the EULA (End-user license agreement), often known as the terms of service. You could be surprised by the legal rules that work in your favor. Do not compare the domain name to your social media username. If necessary, you can devise inventive ways to work around the specific username.

Let us discover the websites that can help you check username availability and social media account checker without further ado. 

Best websites to check username availability

Check usernames with KnowEm:

Know Em interface for social name checker
Using Knowem to check if your username is available online

KnowEm examines the availability of usernames and social name checkers on 120 different websites. There are two premium service alternatives as well. You may pay them a one-time price of $64.95 to register each of your unregistered usernames in their database of 120 sites.

Check usernames with UserSearch:

UserSearch can check what sites are using your current username to help with brand protection.
UserSearch can check what sites are using your current username to help with brand protection.

It’s quick and verifies your username on approximately 134 websites. All of the websites are legitimate, and you should be concerned about your new or existing business. It begins scanning for availability status as you write. The user interface is straightforward.

Check usernames with Namechk:

Namechk - Username checker and domain name extentions
Namechk – Username checker and domain name extensions

Best suited as a username checker and social media checker. The best way to go about is to first insert your desired social media username and then hit the search button. It will examine all possible domain name extensions and social networking platforms to see whether it is accessible. If it’s green, the username is available on that platform; if it’s dimmed, it’s unavailable; and if it’s yellow, it’s invalid since specific platforms have character constraints.

Check usernames with Friends call me:

Many people may be aware of the Friends Call Me team because they also manage the popular color and design community forum COLOURlovers.com. Friends Call Me allows you to search for usernames and social media checkers on over 150 different websites. What’s particularly helpful is that the service categorizes the websites it scans. The site, like KnowEm, monitors new sites and alerts you to them. On the other hand, Friends Call Me does not offer to register them for you for a charge. Friends Call Me also provides something that none of the other businesses do: a homepage for almost all of your profiles.

Check usernames with Handlescout:

Handlescout - Twitter username checker
Handlescout – Twitter username checker

Primarily used for Twitter username scouting and to effectively use social media checker. If your preferred username is not currently available, but you are eager to obtain it when it becomes available. You may set up a notification reminder to receive an email whenever it becomes accessible. It’s an entirely free service. “We are now monitoring more than 60,000 usernames with over 20,000 consumers,” they wrote in one of the tweets. Without a doubt, the website proves to be holding a large number of credible users worldwide.

Check usernames with name check:

StartupNameCheck - social media checker with 36 domain extentions.
StartupNameCheck – social media checker with 36 domain extensions.

As the name says, you can verify the availability of your startup name on various domain extensions and social media accounts. There are 22 social media checkers and 36 domain extensions available for which you may check availability. The best feature is that every new variant or username you search for remains visible on the screen, allowing you to compare which ones are most often accessible on platforms.

Check usernames with Claimbrand:

ClaimBrand - Verifying the availability of usernames.
ClaimBrand – Verifying the availability of usernames.

This site is the final website on the list. This website allows you to verify the availability of usernames on 1000s of websites. When you input a username to search for, the ClaimBrand presents various websites that contain a Claim button. These are the places where you may submit your own username. You may go directly to the source to claim it by clicking on the icon.

Now that you have chosen an apt website to generate your unique name, the following step is to verify on social media platforms if you want to enroll in them. 

Advantages associated with matching usernames on social media

When it comes to online advertising/marketing, your social media account is a big element of your branding. This is why it’s a good idea to attempt to have similar handles for all of the social media profiles. The valuable advantages associated with matching usernames on social handles are:

  • Has a positive impact on memorizing the handles.
  • Makes people access your social media pages with ease.
  • The printed marketing products have a higher value.
  • Last, but not least, it enhances the business’s professionalism.

For example, suppose your Twitter username is @mybrand on Twitter and @mybrand1 on Linkedin, your customers and clients will be constantly confused. Moreover, it degrades its professionalism in it.  You want all of your social media pages to have the same handle, so it’s always a good idea to check if you can register all of the social media page usernames right away!

Importance of verification in social media platforms

There are four proven benefits associated with a verified business username and a page on social media platforms. Let us analyze them. 

  1. For starters, it demonstrates to your followers that you are who you claim you are. When you verify your page on any social media platform, the authorities call you to ensure that your business is legitimate and provide you with a verification code that you must enter into the page to be validated.
  2. Secondly, as soon as the page gets a verified badge, it stands out from other similar pages to showcase its authenticity. It eliminates confusion if multiple pages have identical titles and give them confidence that they’ve arrived at the correct location.
  3. Third, individuals make decisions about businesses based on how professional they look. Verifying your account establishes authenticity and creates a favorable first impression.
  4. Finally, verifying your account and displaying the verification symbol on your page will appear higher in search results, attracting more visitors. A validated page will be more visible. This operates in the same way that SEO on Google does.

So, while creating your social media business pages, don’t forget to include these crucial elements that will help your company achieve higher ranks, easier searchability, and more followers and prospective consumers.

Final thoughts

Checking the username availability has become a stress-free process with all these available services. As an afterthought, if you’re establishing a new social networking site, It is recommended to request to be added to the sites that checked on these services. There is a “Suggest a Site” button on each site that allows for suggestions. It’s an intriguing marketing strategy that you might not have considered.